Newcastle United let slip goalkeeper exit after Champions League call-up
Eddie Howe confirmed the goalkeeper’s exit after Newcastle United’s 3-1 win over West Ham United.
Newcastle United goalkeeper Max Thompson will leave the club when his contract expires this summer.
Thompson, the son of long-serving kit man Ray, joined the Magpies’ academy aged 11 and has regularly featured around Eddie Howe’s squad, despite never making a first-team appearance.
The 21-year-old was named on the bench for Newcastle’s opening seven Champions League matches this season before joining Scottish Championship side Ayr United on loan in January.
United named Nick Pope and Aaron Ramsdale as goalkeepers in their Champions League ‘List A’ squad, leaving out John Ruddy and Mark Gillespie.
But as UEFA rules require three goalkeepers to be named as part of a Champions League squad, Thompson was included on the ‘List B’, which is for players born on or after January 1 2004, who have been contracted to the club for at least two seasons.
Max Thompson set to leave Newcastle United
Thompson made 10 appearances during his loan spell at Ayr but didn’t feature in any of their remaining six games as they finished 7th in Scotland’s second-tier.
Ayr’s season came to an end at the beginning of May, allowing Thompson to attend Newcastle’s 3-1 win over West Ham United on Sunday and partake in the post-match lap of honour.
And it was after the game where Howe let it slip that Thompson is leaving the club.
“Of course, today was slightly different, because we're focusing really on Kieran [Trippier] and Emil [Krafth] and Paul Catterson, Max Thompson, people that will leave us who have done a great job for us on and off the pitch,” Howe said.
“Obviously, Paul's the doctor here, and they've been incredible servants to the football club, and we're going to miss them. They're a big part of our lives, and they have been a big part of our lives.
“In football, nothing stays the same. Everything changes so quickly. So I think that was a really nice moment for them.”
Thompson isn’t the only goalkeeper leaving this summer with John Ruddy also set to depart with his contract up, while Aaron Ramsdale will return to Southampton following his season-long loan spell.